IRONHEART #1 REVIEW: When Two Prodigies from Chicago Collide

“Those who move with courage make the path for those who live with fear” – Ironheart

These poignant words that Riri Williams recites set the tone for her majestic re-introduction to the Marvel Universe. Ironheart #1 arrived with heavy fanfare as acclaimed writer, and fellow Chicago native Eve Ewing took the helm of the Brian Michael Bendis created character. Would the dynamic duo of Riri and Eve deliver? After one issue, the future and the present looks bright.

The opening arc has Riri questioning things about herself, her environment, and her true purpose in life. She wants to sore past the clouds into a defined destiny, but we’ve never known her true impetus for becoming Ironheart aside from a propensity for reverse engineering Starkteck. Through familiar anecdotes and conversation with friends, Ewing shows us the WHY behind Ms. Williams becoming a true hero. As a black man, I could empathize with Riri’s aversion to microagression, desire to beat the statistics, and existential conflicts between the world and HER world. The trials of black folks in the US are a shared experience with individualized nuance. No two experiences are the same, but the similarities foster kinship within those of the diaspora. We can hear stories about systematic racism and cookout faux pas, and react with a look or laugh and communicate an understanding that words need not convey. This familiarity exemplifies why a Black woman from Chicago was the perfect choice to helm this book. Bendis brought Riri to life, Ewing is digitally remastering her in 4K.

The Art team of Kevin Libranda and Luciano Vecchio provide the jubilance of innovation and the innocence of the moments Riri will cherish most. These visuals exceed anything I’ve seen from Riri and his supporting cast and that’s saying a LOT. Matt Milla’s coloring accentuates the characters with proper variety skin tones and equal amounts vibrance and darkness when required. Simply put, this is a beautiful book.